Tales from the Crypt: Only Sin Deep
"Only Sin Deep" is the fourth episode of season one of the HBO television series Tales from the Crypt. Directed by Howard Deutch, it first aired on Wednesday, June 14th, 1989. The plot centers around prostitute Sylvia Vane who is obsessed with her own beauty. She kills a man and steals some jewelry which she then sells to a neighborhood pawn broker. She uses the money to get a complete makeover, but soon discovers that the cost is more than she bargained for. Synopsis Cast Principal Cast Guest Stars Notes & Trivia * This episode is available on disc two of the Tales from the Crypt: The Complete First Season DVD collection. * This episode was filmed on location in Los Angeles, California. * This is the first episode of Tales from the Crypt directed by Howard Deutch. He directs two episodes of the series in total. This also marks Deutch's first work in episodic television. * This is the second episode of Tales from the Crypt written by Fred Dekker. He writes five episodes of the series in total between 1989 and 1992. * First professional American work for actor Simon Baker. Baker is more popularly known for playing the lead roles in programs such as The Guardian and The Mentalist. He also appeared in the 2005 horror film Land of the Dead. * Actor Burke Byrnes also played a cop in the 1991 film Child's Play 3. Allusions * This episode adapts the "...Only Sin Deep" story, which is the second story from The Haunt of Fear #24 by EC Comics, which was released with a March-April, 1954 cover date. The seven-page story was written by Otto Binder with artwork by Jack Kamen. The original story was actually a "Vault of Horror" vignette hosted by the Vault-Keeper and was not a Crypt-Keeper tale. Comics.org; The Haunt of Fear #24; March-April, 1954; "...Only Sin Deep" * The title of this episode is taken from the phrase "Only skin deep", the full phrase of which is "Beauty is only skin deep". This is a tongue in cheek reference to the main character, Sylvia Vane, whose last name also, when spelled as vain, refers to one who is supremely arrogant and conceited. The original idiom refers to one who values character over physical appearance. The Free Dictionary.com; Idioms; "Beauty is only skin deep" * The Crypt Keeper's opening line, "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fearest of them all?" is a parody of "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest one of all", which is taken from the 1937 Disney animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was spoken by the Evil Queen as she stood in front of her magic mirror. This in turn is taken from the German fairy tale of Snow White, where the original line is actually "Magic mirror in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?". Jacob Grimm & Wilhelm Grimm: Kinder- und Hausmärchen; Band 1, 7. Ausgabe (children's and households fairy tales, volume 1, 7th edition). Dietrich, Göttingen 1857, page 264–273.Wikipedia:Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film) Quotes * The Crypt Keeper: Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the FEAREST of them all? (mirror breaks) Looks like I just bought seven years bad luck! See also External Links * * * * * * "Only Sin Deep" at the TV Database References ---- Category:1989 television episodes Category:Howard Deutch Category:Fred Dekker